Sleeping Beauty
by Night Skye Tears
Summary: Do you feel that? It's getting colder. Although the snow is melting from your ownblood, everything inside you is getting colder." Vicious' silver eyes blankly stared into herdimly lit eyes." ok everythin is subject to change, not finished
1. Fall Asleep

Prelude:

Vicious wiped clean his katana of the delicious blood that stained it. A smile curved his lips.

The crimson seeped into the snow and made a ring around her motionless frail body. Her breathing was raspy as she fought to keep her eyes open. Soft white coated the forest and enveloped the sky.

"Do you feel that? It's getting colder. Although the snow is melting from your own blood, everything inside you is getting colder." Vicious' silver eyes blankly stared into her dimly lit eyes.

"Doesn't compare to your heart." She spat.

Vicious chuckled. "You got me there my dear." He crouched down next to her. "My heart froze over a long time ago. And I'm guessing yours has too." She tried to squirm away from him as her ran his fingers over the 3inch slash on her abdomen. Vicious smiled again. "You still think he's going to come for you, don't you?" She took a sharp breath. "Yes, I can see it in your eyes."

She strained to stare up at the pale white sky. "Why are you doing this?" she breathed.

"Why is always the question. Why why why. I'll leave you to ponder that in your last moments in this forsaken planet." She shut her eyes tightly, tears lightly escaped. Vicious brushed away her hair and her tears. "Goodbye, Miss Valentine."

Vicious stood up walking away. He soon blended into the dull colored surroundings.

*** (I can accept this) ***

Faye's whole body shook, every inch ached. She almost welcomed the comforting relief of death. 

_So this is how it's going to end_. She thought. _Alright, I went out with a fight. I can accept this. No hero to save me, no happily ever after. Just me and the snow. The soft biting snow. I can accept that.....What else can I do?_

She sighed as she closed her heavy eyes.

"Faye?"

_I can accept this._

"Faye! My god!"

_It's alright Spike, I can accept this._

"Faye? Faye can you hear me? Faye say something!"

_I--Spike?_

Her emerald eyes were revealed. Hovering above her were two toned brown eyes and green messy hair. "Spike." She breathed in a smile. Her eyes closed again.

_Maybe I do get a hero after all. I can accept that. Maybe, just maybe, I could get a happily ever after as well....._

"Faye! Stay with me here." He lightly shook her.

_Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though. _She inwardly smiled.

"Faye, I'm going to have to carry you to my Swordfish. Hang on." Faye barely caught what Spike had said before she felt a retching pain wreak through her body as she was lifted. She bit down in pain. Faye passed out before they reached the Swordfish.

*** (I just don't know) ***

"JET!!" Spike hollered.

"What?" Jet grumbled coming out of the kitchen. His mouth dropped open when he saw Spike walking down the stairs into the living room with Faye draped in his arms. "What the hell happened?"

"I found her like this in the forest 20 minuets ago." Spike laid Faye on the yellow couch. Jet rushed to get any version of a first aid kit he could find.

"Greetings Spike-person." Edward jumped up on the back of the couch. She looked puzzled at the expression on Spike's face. Ed followed his gaze down to the couch below her. "What happened to Faye-Faye?" She asked innocently.

"You guys'll hafta leave." Jet announced hurriedly as he set the items down on the coffee table.

"Come on Ed." Spike directed her down the hall.

"Will Faye-Faye be alright?" She asked looking up to Spike.

Spike paused looking back to Jet attempting to bandage her, and to Faye, who looked like she was merely sleeping. "I don't know Ed." He admitted turning back to the hall. "I just don't know."

*** (Hope) ***

Edward's golden eyes stared intently at the Sleeping Beauty on the yellow couch. Ed sat with her legs crossed on the coffee table across from Faye.

"She's been like that for the past hour." Jet said to Spike who joined him on the opposite couch. 

"You've been sitting here for an hour watching Ed watch Faye?" Spike inquired.

"Well no, I've been on the computer. And Ed hasn't moved in the last hour."

"Well she's a strange kid." Spike shrugged.

"Where have you been?"

"Oh around. Doing my karate."

"Oh."

"Oh? What's that for?"

"Oh means oh, don't need to snap."

"I wasn't snapping don't accuse me."

"What?! I wasn't---"

"Stop it!" Ed suddenly turned around. "Edward is sad enough about Faye. Fighting makes Edward more sad."

The two men sat in silence for a moment. "Faye will be fine Ed. She always is. Right Jet? Jet.....?"

Jet looked away. "Of course she will be." Spike said standing up.

"Spike....Faye had a great amount of blood loss. She might not--"

"She's not going to die!!" Spike yelled before walking out of the room.

Jet leaned back into the couch and sighed. Edward turned back to Faye. "Don't worry, Sleeping Beauty always wakes up." Ed wiped away a silent tear. Jet looked to the back of Ed's red hair and wondered how such a little girl could have so much hope. But there was the answer; she was just a little girl. But maybe even Jet could have some hope if she could.

*** (Sleeping Beauty) ***

Faye's breathing remained steady. Her eyes stayed tightly closed, forbidden to all.

_I wander what Spike would look like in tights, if he were to be my Prince Phillip, my hero. No that's just silly. They couldn't make tights long enough to fit him. Besides, guys should stick to wearing the swords. Ah, when had I remembered my favorite movie as a child? Strange. I always dreamed of being Sleeping Beauty, and having a hero and a happily ever after. Well, maybe I just liked the tights. Heh, my dreams have certainly changed since then. Everything feels empty and hallow now. Maybe that's what Spike was talking about when he said that he was living in a dream. Empty and hallow....Where _is_ Spike?_


	2. Still Sleeping

_ ***(_Still Sleeping) ***

                "Spike?" Jet peered into Spike's dark room. No answer came. "Spike I know you're awake." He shut the door behind him and flicked on the small light. "You have to come out sooner or later." Jet walked across to the large bed in his room. "Spike?" Jet pulled back the covers, two pillows sat stuffed underneath. Jet sighed and walked back out.

                "Where is Jet-person going?" Ed came up beside Jet in the hallway.

                "To find Spike-person, I mean Spike." Jet shook his head.

                "Where has Spike Spike gone?" Edward chimed.

                "Somewhere not good for Spike." 

                "Oh? Why would Spike go somewhere not good for him?"

                "He doesn't have hope." Jet said more to himself.

                "Ohhhhh." Ed said in faux understanding.

                "Stay here and watch over Faye, I'll be back soon." Jet said grabbing his coat near the staircase.

                Ed gave a salute. "Yes Sir." She turned back to Faye on the couch as Jet headed out the door. Ed sat down on her perch on the metal coffee table. She slowly began to hum and sway. "Sleeeeping Beauuuuty will wake up, don't lose hope and don't give up." She sang to her own tune.

                                                                *** (No Regrets)***

                Spike breathed out intoxicating smoke. It swirled high into the already smoggy air. Slow jazz filtered through the atmosphere. People stirred at the bar in their usual fashion. Spike hung his head before taking the last gulp of his scotch. He lazily nodded to the bartender.

                "Another one? Haven't you already had---"

                "Give me another." He said through gritted teeth.

                "Alright." The tall man said behind the long bar.

                Spike took a long drag off of his cigarette, pulling it deep into his lungs. He eyed a blond beauty pass by into the smoke. A smile tugged at his lips.

                "Spike. I knew I'd find you here." Jet's husky voice came through the smoke.

                "You win, you found me." Spike turned back to his drink's arrival.

                "Spike, you can't keep doing this. You'll drink yourself into oblivion." Jet sat down beside him.

                "Incase you haven't noticed by now Jet, that's the point." He finished off the new glass he got.

                Jet sighed heavily. "She'll come around Spike."

                He froze. "Who?" He tried to sound casual.

                "Spike. Don't do this. She only slipped into the coma three weeks ago." 

                "Four."

                "What?"

                "It was _four_ weeks ago." Spike turned to his comrade. "And with each passing day she slips further. You heard the doctor." He turned back to his empty glass.

                "Ya know how the doctors on Mars are. Besides, the bleeding stopped." Jet offered. Spike shot him a dark glance. "Look, why don't you just come back to the Bebop and we'll take her to another hospital on a different planet. What do you say?"

                "I'm staying here." Spike nodded to the bartender again who grabbed his glass in compliance. 

                "Spike—"

                "I'm not going back there!" Spike suddenly lashed.

                Jet lowered his head. "Fine." He said softly. "Stay here, poison yourself."

                Spike sighed. "Jet…."

                "No regrets Spike, you do what you want. Wouldn't want us to be a burden on you." Jet grabbed his hat and took his leave. 

                Spike turned back to his awaiting glass and closed his eyes tightly. "No regrets." He whispered to himself. He then chugged down the scotch.

                                                                *** (Gleaming) ***

Three AM, chimed the door to the Bebop. Spike staggered in. Silver eyes gleamed in the moonlight, from the coffee table. "Vicious." Spike's voice rumbled deep with hatred. Spike jumped over the rail and lunged at him, finding nothing. Spike snapped his head to the side, trying to clear his mind. "I'm losing it." He admitted to himself. "I'm losing _her_." He looked down to Faye wrapped in a blanket on the couch. He sighed sitting down on the coffee table across from her.

                Spike hung his head once more, sighing. He looked up to Faye. "Dammit Faye, wake up." His voice cracked. 

Silver eyes gleamed in the moonlight……..

Spike leaned down and softly kissed Faye on the lips. He took one last look at Faye before heading off down the hall to his bedroom.

His door clicked closed.

The figure encased in shadows glided to the ship's Sleeping Beauty. Faye's eyes remained closed. His lean frame hovered over her. His hand ran over her china doll face. "You still sleep." His deep voice flowed. "You shouldn't have gotten in the way Miss Valentine." He stroked her cheek, crouching down to the couch. "You called my bluff though, Spike did come for you. How predictable, that's just like him." A vicious smile curved his lips. He shook his head taking in her features.  "And just like him, you remain out of sight. Well not for long Miss Valentine. Not for long."

   *** *** ***


	3. Awaken Fair Maiden

   *** *** ***

(A/N: go look back on the last chap when Spike leaves, I added something kinda important. And at the bar I added that Jet said her bleeding stopped. Lil thing but there it is.  Thanx and thanx to all who review, it means sooo much and it motivates me to keep writing! Keep 'em coming! Also, sorry this one is so short, I just really wanted to add this one ASAP)

                                                                *** (Awaken Fair Maiden) ***

                Dawn settled on the planet of Mars. A soft orange glow came into the Bebop. Thin arms stretched up from the couch, followed by a yawn. She looked around and blinked. "Damn comas, why me. I sleep too much." She said beside herself.

                Faye arose from her long perch on the couch and stretched out her legs and back. "Wonder how long I've been out." A dizzy spell sent her back to the couch. She groaned in pain at the ache in her head and her stomach. 

                She shook her head and again stood. Feeling capable she walked over into the small kitchen. "Jeeze, I'm starved." She fished around in the 'fridge for something edible. She sighed and pulled out the supplies needed. 

                Spike shuffled his cold bare feet from his room. Yawning and scratching his head he made his way to this kitchen for an advancement on breakfast. His mouth dropped open. There she was. Faye was standing there in a long t-shirt and sweats, cooking what was left of the eggs. She turned to him. "Hey, you hungry?" She asked holding the spatula. 

                Spike was speechless. "Is that a 'no', or a 'I'm sleeping walking'?" Faye asked irritated.

                "JET!" Spike hollered down the hall.

                "Don't yell, Jeeze, I have a headache." Faye cringed.

                "What the hell Spike? I was going to make breakfast in a minuet, you're so damn---" Jet came into the doorway to the kitchen. "—Impatient." He finished, staring at Faye.

                "What?" She shrugged. "I couldn't wait for breakfast. I was hungry okay?" She snapped. "You two look like you've never seen me cooking."

                "Well…we haven't." Spike started. "And, um, did you know that you were in a coma?" He asked sheepishly.

                "Yeah I figured, after I blacked out I had this strange dream about you and—well never mind. So how long was I out for, day or two?" She said indifferently.

                "Four weeks Faye." Spike said blankly.

                She looked between the two men calmly. "_A whole damn month?!_" She demanded. They nodded their heads. "Christ!" She exclaimed.

                "We weren't sure if you'd come out of it, you were hurt pretty bad." Jet spoke finally.

            "Wow, I missed a months worth a bounties. There goes my casino money." She shook her head and turned back to her eggs.

            "Damn it Faye! How can you go on like nothing's happened?!" Spike yelled.

            "Calm down Spike, this whole sleeping for a while thing, it's happened before. I'm not gonna ruin my eggs over it." 

            Spike turned to Jet. "Is she still on painkillers?" 

            Jet took another breath. "I don't think so. Maybe it's a side effect."

            "Will you two stop talking like I'm not here?" She snapped. 

            "Right, sorry." Jet covered.

            A small yawn came from below them. "Good morning fellow Bebopians." They all looked down to see bright red hair. She looked up. "Faye-Faye!" She squealed running to hug her.

            "Hey Ed." Faye looked down to the little girl clinging to her legs. Ein barked at the doorway. "Hi Ein." 

            "Faye-Faye all better!! Ed so happy!" She exclaimed.

            "Well, I'm going to go have my breakfast now. You all can do as you like." Faye grabbed her plate of eggs and a beer, managing to wriggle out of Ed, and made her way to the living room.

            Spike and Jet remained in the doorway, silent. "She used the last of the eggs." Spike commented, neither moved.

                                                ***


End file.
